Torpedo-intercepting device.



H. M. ROBERTSON.

TORPEDO INTERCEPTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 29.1917.

M m kw w w 3W. 6 E M Mia 1 mi HENRY M. ROBERTSON, or sea. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

j roiern io-inrnncerrme DEVICE.

increase.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 29, 1917. Serial No. 199,148.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY M. Ronnn'rson, a citizen of the United States, residihgat St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in 'lorpedo lntercepting Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

My invention has for itsobject to provide a simple and efficient torpedo "intercepting device for vessels; and to such ends, generally stated, the invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter. described and defined in the claims. I i i a More specifically stated, the invention has for its object to provide a vertically movable screen, and means for supporting the same at suitable distances from the sides of the vessel in position to intercept torpedoes and stop them before they have reached such close proximity to the hull of the vessel, that even if exploded, they will not do any great damage to the vessel.

As preferably constructed, the torpedo intercepting device is made in sections spaced longitudinally of the hull, and each section comprises a screen or curtain preferably of flexible Wire netting, together with means for raising and lowering these curtains either simultaneously, or individually, as the needs of the case may require.

The, preferred form of the device is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views. l i

Referring to the drawings,

Figure l is a side elevation showing a portion of the hull of a boat or vessel and showing my improved torpedo intercepting device applied thereto; j i i Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken approximately on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1; i

Fig. 3 is aside elevation of one of the intercepting screens or curtains and its curtain roller, the curtain being rolled therefrom; and '4cis a similar view to Fig. 3, but showing the curtain completely unrolled or let down; p

The hull of the vessel is indicated by the partly un numeral 5 and itsdeck or one of th'e'fioor structures by the numeral 6.

As indicated, the intercepting deviceis made up of a multiplicity of sections secured to the hull of the boat and located side by side. As shown, each section of the intercepting device comprises as follows:

The numerals 7 and 8 indicate, respectively, lower and upper screen projecting links, preferably in the form of trussed frames, which, at their inner ends, are pivoted, respectively, to suitable brackets9 and 10, secured 011 the side of the hull 5. I

At their free outer ends, the projecting links? and 8 are forked and spread toafford Patented Apr. 30, 191%.

bearings 7 and 8, respectively. The screens i or curtains 11,which as stated, are preferably flexible and are advisably made of connected metal ll11kS, ,til their upper ends are attached to rollers 12, the ends of which are extended through and journaled in the bearings 8 of the links 8 and are provided at their projected ends with small cable drums or sheaves 13'. To thelower edges of the curtains 11 are attached the rods 14;, the

ends of which are passed through and held in suitable bearings 18 on the deckor floor structure 6. In practice, there may be one drum 17 for each pair of cables 15, or all of the cables at one side may be wound on the same drum; and m0reover,so far as this invention is concerned, the said drum 17 may .be operated in any suitable way.

Here it will be noted that the lower links or projecting name. 7 are considerably longer than the upper links or frames 8, so that when the latter are let down into hori zontal position, the former will be turned downward at approximately an angle of forty-five degrees and will, in this position, hold the curtains 11 in approximately vertical positions nearly or quite submerged in the" water. In Fig. 2, the full lines show the position of the torpedo intercepting. device when it is let down to its limit. and in which position, the curtain will be immersed in the water to the proper depth,

say ten or twelve feet. The dotted lines in Fig. 2 indicate an intermediateposition and 'a completely raised or folded position of the intercepting device. In a completely folded position, the intercepting device lies close to the hull of the. boat.

= drum-s 13, when the screens aredropped to the full line position, Fig. 2, is such that under upward pulling strain on said cables, said cables will be completely unwound from said drums 13 when the curtains have been wound onto the roller 12 to the extent shown in Fig. 3, and by dotted lines in the extreme folded position, Fig. 2. There is v provided suitable stop devices, such as chains 19 attached thereto and to the hull of the; boat.

Q 1 The operation is substantially as follows: hen the operating cables 15 are wound on the drum 17, they will first unwind the lower ends thereof from the drums or sheaves 13, thereby rotating the shaft 12 andwinding the screen thereon until the screen has been wound up approximately as shown in Fig. 3, at which time the cables 15 will be completely unwound from the sheaves 13, as shown in Fig. 3, and thereafter, further winding of the cables 15 on the. drum 17 will move the screen and the two links 7 and 8 from the intermediate position shown in Fig. 2, to the completely folded position shown in said view.

When the intercepting device is to belet down, the cables 15 are unwound or let out fromithe drum l7 and the links 7 and Sand screen will move downward until the link8 reaches the limit of its movement in Fig. 2, and'thereafter further unwinding of cables 15 from drum 17 will, under the weight of a the links 7 and screen 11, cause the latter to unwind from its roller 12 and to wind up the lower or outer ends of the cables 15 upon the sheaves l3- These screens are capable of being let down. very quickly. If in a danger zone, they may be either completely let down or only partially let down. I If only partly let down, they may be quickly dropped to operative positions upon signal or when a torpedo is seen approaching. \Vhen the screens are let down, they will, of course, to some extent, reduce the movement of the vessel, c0

and it will be desirable to keep them raised as much of the time as possible. The links or proj'ecting frames 7 and 8, should be of such length as to support the screens at the required distance fromthe hull to prevent damage to the hull in case the intercepted torpedo is exploded. From twenty to thirty feet would be sufiicient distance for the proj ection of the screens from the boat hull.

Obviously, when the intercepting devices are folded against the side of the hull, they occupy so little space and project so slightly from the hull of the boat that the boat may be properly and easily locked. Also, this improved intercepting device may be readily applied to boats and vessels of various different character and without requiring remodelin of the hull.

What claim is: 1. The combination with the hull of a vessel, of upper and lower screen projecting links pivoted to the sides of the hull for vertical movement, a roller carried by said upper link, a screen attached to. said roller and lower link, and means for rotating the roller to wind the screen thereon and for bodily raising the same.

2., The combination with the hull of a vessel, of upper and lower screen projecting links pivoted to the side of the hull for vertical movements, a roller journaled to the free portion of said upper link, a screen attached to and adapted to he wound upon said roller and having its lower edge attached to the free portion of said lower link,

and means for raising and lowering said links and for rotating and unwind said screen.

3. The combination with the hull of a vessel, of upper and lower screen projecting links pivoted to the side of the hull for versaid roller to wind .tical movements, a roller journaled to the free portion of said upper link, a screen attached to and adapted to be wound upon said roller and having its lower edge attached to the free portion of said lower link, a sheave applied to said screen roller, an operating cable attached to and adapted to. be wound upon said sheave, and means on the vessel for Winding up and letting out said operating cable.

4. The combination with theihull of a vessel, of upper and lower screen projecting links pivoted to the side of the hull for vertical movements, a roller journaled to the free portion of said upper link, a screen attached to and adapted to be wound upon said roller and having its lower edge attached to the free portion of said lower link, and means for limiting the downward movement of saidupper link to an approximately horizontal position, the screen, when unwound,serving to drop said lower link to a downwardly inclined position, and which links are arranged to be folded against the side of the hull. I

5. The combination with the hull of avessel, of upper and lower screen projecting links pivoted to the side of the hull for vertical movements, a roller journaled to the free portion of said upper link, a screen attached to and adapted to be wound upon said roller and having its lower edge attached to the free portionof said lower link, a sheave applied to said screen roller, an operating cable attached to and adapted to be Wound upon said sheave, and means on the vessel for Winding up and letting out said operating cable, the said lower links being materially longer than said upper links and 0 the said curtain, whensaid links are folded upward against the side of the hull, being incompletely wound on its roller and extending between the upturned ends of the said two links.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature 15 in presence of two Witnesses.

HENRY M. ROBERTSON. Witnesses:

CLARA DEMAREsT, F. D. MERoHANT.

Copiea of thin patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Coinmissioner of Patents, Washingtomhfl. 

